August 5, 2024
How to Get Static Out of Clothes
Have you ever pulled a load of clothes out of the dryer only to be met with a big ball of items seemingly stuck together? Then you’ve experienced the frustration of clothing static firsthand. Static cling can be annoying at best, making your clothes cling to your body and maybe even giving a jolt of energy when you touch them!
Luckily, it’s easy to get rid of static cling and prevent the phenomenon from impacting future loads of laundry. A few simple changes to your laundry routine will help you put an end to staticky clothes for good!
What Causes Static in Clothes?
You’ve probably experienced static electricity multiple times, whether you’ve been shocked when putting on a fuzzy sweater or opening a door after walking across the carpet. But how does static electricity work? The explanation is actually quite simple.
Our atmosphere contains countless electrons, each of which has a positive or negative charge. You likely already know that opposite charges attract and similar charges repel (think about the different ends of a magnet). When two positive or two negative electrons touch, then a shock results. But if the charges are weak, your clothes might cling together instead.
One of the most common places to experience static electricity buildup is the dryer. As your clothes tumble around together, their fabrics rub against each other, which increases the levels of electrostatic charge.
Ever wonder why static seems to be worse in the colder months? It’s largely because of the humidity. Static electricity thrives in dry conditions, which helps explain why the dryer causes so much static. In the chilly New York winter, the weather brings little humidity (along with dry skin), allowing static charges to build. But during the summer, more humid conditions prevent the buildup of static.
How to Get Rid of Static Cling
Static cling can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to derail your laundry routine or force you to pick a new outfit. We’ve listed several ways you can get rid of static cling quickly and effectively.
Anti-Static Spray
There are several commercial products you can find to help eliminate static cling. Brands like Sprayway and Static Guard offer convenient sprays that increase the humidity in your clothes’ fabric, which cancels out the electrostatic charges. You can purchase anti-static sprays in a wide range of scents and sizes, so you can take some on your next trip and fight static anywhere.
Home Remedies
If you don’t want to spend money to get rid of static, you’ve still got options. One quick way to eliminate static is to rub the affected areas with a damp paper towel or washcloth. The moisture will help negate electric charges in the fabric, which reduces the static.
Hairspray is another quick fix for static. Simply flip your garment inside out and spray a bit of hairspray onto the material, standing back about a foot. Let the garment dry completely before putting it on.
If you have a spritzer bottle on hand, fill it with water and lightly spray the areas of your clothes that are clinging to you. The simple addition of moisture will get rid of static cling in a hurry. Just don’t spray too much!
Use a Humidifier
As we mentioned, static loves dry conditions. If your home is too arid, you may be more prone to static in your clothes. You can combat this issue by using a humidifier in your space. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can help your clothes retain a bit of moisture by line-drying them instead of using the dryer.
Alternatively, you can allow your clothes to get mostly, but not completely, dry in the dryer before removing them to hang dry. By using the dryer less frequently, you will not only reduce static electricity in your clothes, but you will also help your clothes last longer and save on your electric bill!
Additions to the Drying Cycle
Fabric softeners can work wonders for eliminating static cling, especially if you can’t wait for your clothes to air dry. You can add a liquid fabric softener to the load, which lubricates your clothing’s fabrics and reduces friction. You’re left with a silky-smooth and static-free garment that will feel great all day long.
Dryer sheets can also help by gathering electrostatic charges from your clothes as they tumble. Wool balls are ideal for this job as well, and they’re an eco-friendly and sustainable way to improve your laundry experience.
To reduce static in the dryer without any extras, a simple damp rag can do the trick. When the drying cycle has about ten minutes remaining, put the damp rag in the dryer with your clothes. The rag will provide enough moisture to keep the static at bay without causing you to extend the drying cycle.
How to Prevent Static Cling
Once you’ve gotten the cling out of your clothes, you’ll want to keep them cling-free! Making a few small changes to your laundry routine can help keep static at bay for good.
Use Metal to Reduce Static
Hanging your clothes on wire hangers instead of plastic hangers can be instrumental in preventing static. Wire hangers can take some of the electrostatic charges out of your clothes, whereas plastic won’t absorb those charges.
Alternatively, you can run a bit of aluminum foil through your clothes before you put them on. If you don’t have wire hangers, aluminum foil essentially does the same job. Pressing metal or aluminum between the clinging layers of fabric will disrupt the forces of the cling and make the clothing separate from itself. If you need to keep static at bay throughout the day, put a safety pin on the inside of your garment to negate the static charges.
Add Moisture
It might be surprising to learn that your skin can contribute to the static cling your clothes are giving you. Dry skin, by definition, lacks moisture, and those dry conditions are perfect for static electricity. Moisturizing your skin with lotion or body butter helps rehydrate your skin, increasing its humidity and preventing cling. (In a pinch, you can even add a touch of lotion to a particularly staticky spot on your clothes to help reduce cling.)
Separate Your Fabrics
Preventing static in your laundry could be as simple as properly separating your items. Synthetic fabrics tend to be the biggest collectors of electrostatic charges, so wash them separately from your natural fibers and fabrics. For an additional measure, you can reserve your dryer for natural fibers and let your synthetic fabrics air-dry instead.
Shake It Off
When you’re taking your clothes out of the dryer, avoid the temptation to dump them all in the laundry basket in one big ball. Instead, take out each item and shake it a few times before transferring it somewhere else. This little bit of movement can prevent static electricity from sticking around as the clothes are moved to a new surface.
Working with White Glove Cleaner
Laundry is one of the never-ending chores of any household. To make your life a bit easier, White Glove Cleaner is proud to offer in-home laundry services in addition to the high-quality cleaning services you’ve come to expect. Our team can help get your laundry washed, dried, and folded, saving you countless hours of work and immeasurable peace of mind with one more thing checked off of your “to do” list.
White Glove Cleaner can help with all kinds of laundry, from clothing to towels to bedding. Before your scheduled service begins, simply make sure everything you want laundered is gathered in one location. Our team will follow the laundry instructions provided on the tag, but if you have specific requests or instructions for a piece, just let us know and we’ll follow suit. If you’d like your bedding washed, simply leave a clean set of linens and we will swap them out.
Laundry services are an additional feature that you can add to your existing cleaning service, whether you’re planning for a one-time cleaning or are a regular customer. Our standard cleaning service includes cleaning all floors, dusting countertops, cleaning mirrors, taking out the trash, and more. We also provide a range of specialty cleaning services, including our eco-friendly and hypoallergenic “green” cleaning package and our move-in/move-out cleaning service. To learn more about our laundry services and all of our cleaning options, contact the White Glove Cleaner team today!